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Acting Federal Trade Commission Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen announced the appointment of Alden F. Abbott as Acting General Counsel for the agency.

“I am very pleased to welcome Alden Abbott back to the Federal Trade Commission as Acting General Counsel. With his considerable knowledge and experience, he will contribute significantly to the continued effectiveness of this agency in protecting American consumers,” Ohlhausen said.

As the Commission’s chief legal officer and adviser, the General Counsel represents the agency in court and provides legal counsel to the Commission and its bureaus and offices.

Abbott has been Rumpel senior legal fellow and deputy director of the Heritage Foundation’s Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies since 2014. He is rejoining the Commission, having served previously as deputy director of the Office of International Affairs, associate director and assistant director of the Bureau of Competition, and attorney advisor in the Office of Policy Planning.

Abbott has also been director of patent and antitrust strategy for Blackberry, chief counsel for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and counselor to the general counsel of the Department of Commerce. In addition, he has held senior counsel positions in the Justice Department and served as an associate for the law firm Fried Frank.

Abbott earned a bachelor degree from the University of Virginia, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and an M.A. in Economics from Georgetown University.